Cotton-picker stem



(u Modem C,V T, MASON, Jin COTTON PICKER STEM.

10,293,485 Patented Peb. 12, 1884..

v UNiTnn STATES PATENT Oniucn.

CHARLES` T. MASON, JR.,OFVSUMTER, S. C., ASSIGNOR TO THE SOUTHERN COTTON HARVESTING COMPANY, OF SOUTH CAROLINA.

4coT'i'oN-PICKER STEM.

SPECIFICATION" forming part of Letters Patent No. 293,485, dated February 12, '1884.

Application filed April 25, 1883. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom t may concern.-

Be it known thatl, CHlinLns Tnoiulis MA.- soN, J r., of Sumter, Sumter county, South Carolina, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Cotton-Picker Stems, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to 'certain improve ments in cotton-picker stems, to` adapt the saine vfor more efficiently picking and collecting cotton from the boils; and it consists more particularly in the construction hereinafter set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation oi' my improved stem. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section of same on the line 2 2 of Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line 3 3 of Fig. l. Fig. et shows a port-ion of one of the toothed and recessed plates. Fig. 5 is atransverse section of one of said plateson the line 5 5 of Fig. L1. Fig. 6 is a sectional view of a modification of the device, wherein the toothed andrecessedplates are shown attached to a solid core of wood or other suitable material, instead of to the internal disks and end pieces, as represented more particularly in Fig. 2.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts.

D is the supporting-rod, upon which are rigidly secured the metal flanged disks or rings E E E and end pieces G G.

A A are a series of bent recessed and toothed plates of sheet metal. rIhe inner sides of these plates rest against the iianges of the disks E. Their ends are coniined between the end p'ieces G G and the cap-pieces C and B by screws H, as shown, or other suitable means. The upper end piece, C, is conical in form. i The lower end piece, B, is partly conical, but has two flat sides, so as to be substantially wedgeshaped.V Its extremity is rounded, and not pointed, for reasons hereinafter explained.

I do not limit myself to a cotton-picker stem intended to be suspended at its upper end by the rod D, inasmuch as inV some arrangements of these stems in cotton-picking machines I.

find it advantageous to give the stem a bearing at its lower end. In such case the cap B is not made of wedge shape, but conical in form, like the cap-piece C,.and the rod D is extended downward through said piece to enter any suitable bearing or support.

lThe plates A are made of sheet metal, and may be conveniently struck up and cut out in dies. Each plate consists of a long strip. on one side of which are formed teeth a. Near the opposite side, and in the body of the plate, are formed indentations Y or recesses b. The teeth c are bent over and the plate` is curved transversely, so as to adapt it to the periphery of the rings E, as shown in Fig. 5. The plates A are arranged upon the rings E so that the teeth a of one -plate shall lie in the recess b of the plate next adjacent, as shown in Fig. 3. It is essential that the point c of each tooth a shall be` so far bent over as not to protrude beyond the partitions c', Fig. 5, which separate the indentations or recesses b.

I have found by experiment that when a suspended cotton-picker stem is provided with a conical lower end piece the point of the cone is apt to enter a crotch of the branches of the cotton-plant, or into a dense growth of branches and leaves, and in rotating make a hole for itself. This is especially the case where the stems, in addition to their rotary movement, have an up-and-down motion. The result is that the lower end of the stem becomes engaged in or with the plant, so that when the machine moves on along the row the stein does not free itself, so" that the supporting-rod is thus liable to become bent or broken. I avoid this difficulty by making the ends B of wedge shape, so as to have a blunt curved instead of a pointed end.

InFig. 6 Iexhibitawooden core, F, to which the plates A are directly attached, the ends of said plates being held in cap-pieces at both ends, in the manner shown. shown in dotted line. I prefer in practice the arrangement shown in Figs. 1 to 5, on account of the increased lightness of the stem, and because the parts thereof can mostly be made of metal, and thus be stronger.

The particular construction embodying the core F, as above described, and as. shown The rod D is' in Fig. 6, I do not herein claim, but intendto IOO In another application for Letters Patent noW pending I have described a cotton-picker stem having teeth the points of which do not protrude beyond the guards separating said teeth. The present device is made on the saine principle.

I claim as my inventionl. In a cotton-picker steun, a series of metal plates, A, provided with teeth a and recesses b, surrounding and secured to a support or supports attached to a central rod, and so arranged that the teeth a of one plate shall lie in the recesses'b of the next adjacent plate, substantially as described.

2. In a cotton-picker stein, aseries of metal l plates, A, provided with teeth a and upward projections or partitions c, surrounding` and secured to a support or supports attached a central rod, and so arranged that the teeth a of one plate shall lie between the partitions c of the next adjacent plate, substantially7 as described.

G, langed supporting-disks'E, and plates A,

3. In a suspended cotton-picker steni, an end piece or cap for the lower end thereof, substantially of wedge form, and having a blunt or rounded lower edge or extremity, substantially as described.

4. In a cotton-picker stein the combination of the rod D, cap-pieces@ and B, end pieces 3o substantially as described.

5. A cotton-picker stem having on its pe rphery a series of recesses or indentations, the said recesses being arranged side by side and longitudinally orgparallel to the aXis of 3 5 the stem, and teeth arranged in said recesses, the engaging ends of said teeth being on a level with or slightly below theouter surface ofthe partitions between-the said recesses, substanto l tially as described.

CHARLEST. MASON, JR.

Vi tnesses:

M. F. BUnNs, PARK BENJAMIN. 

